Envelope printing press



Sept. 5, 1950 c. H. MARVIN ENVELOPE PRINTING PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1946 IN V EN TOR. C bar/es /1- Mar v/n H T 7' 0 R Sept. 5, 1950 c. H. MARVIN ENVELOPE PRINTING PRESS Filed Sept. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C bar/es H- Marv/r7 Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNIT ED STAT ES PAT ENT FFICEv ENVELOPE PRINTING PRESS Charles H. Marvin, Sioux City, Iowa Application. September 26, 1:946, Serial No. 699,524. 3 Claims. (01. ion-232) My invention relates to an envelope printin press.

An object of my invention is to provide an envelop:- printing. press which will print two envelopes during each rotation of the envelope bearing roller thereby increasing the production speed of the arrangement and at the same time eliminatingexcessive speeds A further object of my invention is to: provide an. arrangement whereby the envelopes are firmly grasped and forced in the necessary direction for the printing operation, and thence quickly released for delivery.

A further object of my invention is toprovide a simple actuating mechanism for providing graspment and release of the envelope.

A further object of my invention is to provide adiustable means associated with the grasping and release means so that any size of envelope can be accommodated in the press.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple mechanism which will not readily get .-'out of order and which can bemanutactu-redv at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrange ment, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set. forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,- in which;

Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of. the press, and taken substantially along the lines ll of Figure-2,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure I taken substantially along the lines 22 thereof,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail taken in sec- .tion along the lines 3--3 of Figure 2',

Figure 4 is a detail, and Figure 5 is a further detail. My invention contemplates the provision of a simple and yet eflicient printing press for. printing envelopes, and which includes simple envelope grasping features and release features, and

which also includes certain features whereby the envelope bearing roller will accommodate the printing of two envelopes during a. single revolution thereof, thereby reducing the necessary speed of operation, and yet in most cases providing a greater efficient production speed.

I have used the character it) to designate the base of the press which includes side walls H which side walls include the upper portions [2. Attached between the portions i2 is an envelope receiving hopper l3 which is positioned slightly angularly as shown and includes the walls 14 and a bottom wall l5; which bottom wan includes an opening at [6* which openingi slightly greater than the envelope flaps. The hopper t3 includes a forward envelope delivery opening at H. Journalled at I-8' within the slidable bearings I9 is a shaft 20- which isv firmly secured to a roller 24 which roller is adapted to bear the type for printing the necessary legend on the envelopes,

Engaged with the, bearings iii are the collar 22: whichare snugly retained. within thebearings and extend into the vertical studs 23- which are threadably engaged at 24 with the upper portions of. the members 12 and which terminate in the turning heads 25, this arrangement permitting adjustable movement of the shaft 2d up wardly or downwardly to obtain the desired pressure of the type roll against the further roll, it being further understood that any other type of adjusting means can be employed.

Journalled. within, the side walls H at 26 is a shaft 21 which is securely attached at 28 to the circular end discs 29 which discs include the shoulders at an, the further arcuate portions 31 (see Figure 1) being rigidly secured to these shoulders. Attached atone side of the roller 2| is a ring gear 3 2 which meshes at 33 with afarthei' ring gear 34 which is attached to, or is a partof one of the. members 29, this gear arrangement providing a perfectly synchronized rotation of the two rolls, The shait 2.1 continues beyond the side wall and can be suitably driven by an electric motor or other means at the required speed, and attached to the shaft It is a small pulley 35 which drives a. belt 3% which drives a further pulley 31 which is attached to a transverse shaft '38 (see Figure l) which shaft 3% drives a roller 39 carrying an apron or belt 40 which passes about a further roller M which is attached to a further shaft 42, the apron in serving to deliver the printed envelopes to the forward end 43 of the press. Other driving arrangements such as gears and the like can be also employed for driving the apron.

A pair of horizontal rods 44 are received-at 45 through the end members 29 and include keys t6 received in such end members, so that the rods cannot rotate on their own axes.

The rods 44 include recessed central grooves at 41 and pivotally attached therein at 8 are the radially positioned members 49 which are pivotally attached at 58 to a continuation of the surfaces it which. suriaees. 5k terminate the arcuate portions ill. The members 49 are bent into the rearwardly extending portions 52 which portions terminate in the inwardly extending fingers 53 which fingers extend only a slight distance above the surface of the roller and parallel thereto.

The pivoting point at 50 is substantially half way of the length of the member 49 to provide an equal movement of all of the fingers as will be later explained. Also pivoted at 54 to the memhere 49 are small mortise members 55 engaged in corresponding grooves 56, the pivotal attachment at 54 being made loose in order to accommodate angular movement of the members 49. Attached at 51 to the rods 44 are the circular clamps 58 to which are attached at 59 the further members 60 which extend upwardly and are bent into the rearwardly extending portions 5| having the inwardly extending fingers 62 (see Figures 3 and 4). Attached at 63 to the members 60 are the further mortise members 64 which are engaged within the lengthened similarly shaped slots 65, the slots 65 being of substantial length as shown in Figure 2. The rods 44 include the lengthened grooved channels 66 which channels are adapted to receive the ends of the lock screws 61 having the tightening heads 68.

Journalled on the pins 69 at the ends of the rods 44 are the rollers I0. A cam member I! is attached at I2 to one of the side walls as shown, this cam member being curved and extending inwardly a fairly substantial distance so that when the rollers I travel thereagainst, the rods 44 will be forced to the dotted position as shown in Figure 2 or toward the left, the position of the cam 'Il being also shown in Figure 1.

Itwill be noted that the arcuate plate portions 3| each extend only a portion of the distance about the periphery of the lower large roller, leaving open spaces at I3 which open spaces are of fairly substantial depth and width, and thereby providing means for obtaining access to the interior lower roll for adjustment or other purposes.

Afiixed to the roller 2! is a slightly raised boss 14 which during rotation of the roller is adapted to bear against the portions 52 so that the fingers 53 will be'carried downwardly practically flush with the surface of the lower roller. A further movable boss I5 is secured at I6 within a longitudinal groove 11 provided in the roller which boss I5 will perform the same action on the portions 6| and fingers 52, the boss I5 being movable to'correspond to the changed position of the portions 6 I. The member I8 includes suitable means within the groove IT for locking thereto and can comprise a bolt having an expanded head.

Washers I8 are attached to the rods 44 and positioned between these washers and one of the discs 29 is a compression spring I9. The rods 44 also terminate in the expanded collars 80 to limit movement of the rods.

The press operates in the following manner. The envelopes which are indicated by the character 8| are placed in the hopper [3 with their flaps 82 being positioned above the opening I6, and so that the flap of each lower-most envelope will fall through said opening as shown by the dotted structure in Figure 1. The fingers 53 and 62 are normally in the position shown throughout by the solid lines, and particularly in Figure 5. During rotation of the lower cylinder in the direction of the arrow 83, the fingers 53 and 62 will engage the juncture of the flap 82 and the forward edge of the envelope and will carry the envelope forwardly in the direction of rotation (see Figure 3). As soon as the roller Ill, however, strikes the cam member II, the rod 44 is forced toward the left as viewed in Figure 2 which correspondingly rocks the arm 49 on its pivot 54 causing the finger 53 to withdraw from the flap as shown by the dotted structure in Figure 2, the same action also causing the finger 52 to withdraw due to the movement of the rod 44, and as shown by the dotted structure. The mortised joints at 55 and 64 maintain the accurate positioning of the upper portions of the finger members. Since the pivoting point 50 is one-half of the distance of the arm 48 the extent of movement of the fingers will be the same. At this abutment of the roller with the cam as explained these fingers are withdrawn, and both rollers will maintain snug engagement and allow the printing of the necessary legend on the envelope, after which the envelope is ejected onto the apron 40 and carried forwardly thereby. The small raised portions I4 and 15 are provided to compress the finger portions 53 and 62 at the point of printing contact so that the envelope will not be torn. It will be noted that the finger portions 53 and 62 include small humps 84 to provide compression and so that the small bosses I4 and I5 need not extend beyond the type, etc. At this point of contact the finger members will lie practically against lower roller and, however, will spring to normal position at release thereof from the respective bosses and from the cam II. It will be thus seen that the finger members grasp the envelope in a firm and positive manner when necessar and for the purpose intended.

The lengthened channels 66 permit the clamps 58 to be moved laterally to any desired position to thereby accommodate envelopes of various lengths, the hopper member I3 including suitable means also for the same.

The lowermost roller is made exactly twice the diameter of the upper printing roller, which thereby permits two envelopes to be printed during each rotation of the lower roller, the rods 44 providing the proper pivoting action against the cam at the correct moment. This feature of providing printing of two envelopes for each rotation increases the production speed of the operation and yet eliminates the necessity of providing a greater rotational speed to the lower roller, allowing the lower roller to run at a slower speed eliminating excess vibration and the like.

It will now be seen that I have provided all of the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with further advantages being readily apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. An envelope printing press comprising a type bearing roller, an envelope bearing roller snugly engaged with said type bearing roller, means mounted on said envelope bearing roller for grasping envelopes within their flap corners, and means for releasing said envelopes, including stationar finger members received between the envelope flaps and the envelope, pivoted finger members received between the envelope flaps and the envelope, a pair of rods positioned parallel to the axis of said envelope bearing roller, said stationary finger members being adjustably attached to said rods, said pivotal finger members being pivoted to said envelope bearing roller, and pivoted to said rods, means for actuating said rods for pivoting said pivoted finger members.

2. An envelope printing press comprising a type bearing roller, an envelope bearing roller snugly engaged with said type bearing roller, means mounted on said envelope bearing roller for grasping envelopes within their fiap corners, and means for releasing said envelopes, including stationary finger members received between the envelope fiaps and the envelope, pivoted finger members received between the envelope flaps and the envelope, a pair of rods positioned parallel to the axis of said envelope bearing roller, said stationary finger members being adjustably attached to said rods, said pivotal finger members being pivoted to said envelope bearing roller, and pivoted to said rods, means for actuating said rods for pivoting said pivoted finger members, including a cam member attached to said press for abutment against said rods.

3. An envelope printing press comprising a type bearing roller, an envelope bearing roller snugly engaged with said type bearing roller, means mounted on said envelope bearing roller for grasping envelopes within their flap corners, and means for releasing said envelopes, including stationary finger members received between the envelope flaps and the envelope, pivoted finger members received between the envelope flaps and the envelope, a pair of rods positioned parallel to the axis of said envelope bearing roller, said stationary finger members being adjustably attached to said rods, said pivotal finger members being pivoted to said envelope bearing roller, and pivoted to said rods, means for actuating said rods for pivoting said pivoted finger members, including a cam member attached to said press for abutment against said rods, said finger members extending beyond the circumferential limits of said envelope bearing roller and having integral portions extending substantially at right angles to the finger members.

CHARLES H. MARVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,419 Chisholm July 25, 1922 700,807 Palmer et a1. May 2'7, 1902 768,475 Meier Aug. 23, 1904 854,041 Kenna May 21, 1907 1,935,051 Harrold Nov. 14, 1933 

